Liquid crystal display with controlled viewing angle properties

Abstract

A novel liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal cell including at least liquid crystal, and an optically anisotropic layer capable of optically compensating the liquid crystal cell is disclosed. It is in a first gray scale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a positive value while being applied with a voltage falling within a first range, and in a second grayscale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a negative value while being applied with a voltage falling within a second range.

1. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell comprising at least liquid crystal, and an optically anisotropic layer capable of optically compensating the liquid crystal cell, and
 being in a first gray scale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a positive value while being applied with a voltage falling within a first range, and 
 being in a second gray scale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a negative value while being applied with a voltage falling within a second range, 
 wherein the first gray scale state is a wide viewing angle state and the second gray scale state is a narrow viewing angle state; and the first and the second gray scale states are switchable. 
 
     
     
       2. The liquid crystal display of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal cell employs a bend alignment mode. 
     
     
       3. The liquid crystal display of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of polarizing films disposed sandwiching the liquid crystal cell, wherein the optically anisotropic layer is disposed between at least either of the pair of polarizing films and the liquid crystal cell. 
     
     
       4. The liquid crystal display of  claim 3 , further comprising a support for the optically anisotropic layer,
 wherein the liquid crystal cell and the substrate satisfy together a condition expressed by:
   2.0≦(Δ n×d )/ Rth≦ 4.0 
 
 where Δn represents the refractive index anisotropy of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal cell; d (nm) represents the thickness of the liquid crystal cell; and Rth (nm) represents retardation in the thickness direction of the substrate of the support at a wavelength of 550 nm. 
 
     
     
       5. The liquid crystal display of  claim 1 , being driven with an applied voltage falling within a range from V 1  to V 2 , being in the first gray scale state while being applied with a voltage from V 1  to V x , and being in the second state while being applied with a voltage from V x  to V 2 , provided that V 1 <V x <V 2 . 
     
     
       6. The liquid crystal display of  claim 1 , being driven with an applied voltage falling within a range from V 1  to V 2 , being in the first gray scale state while being applied with a voltage from V x  to V 2  and being in the second state while being applied with a voltage from V 1  to V x , provided that V 1 <V x <V 2 .